TFBT: Notes on Callimachus’ Hymn to Athena

The Battle of the Lawless Giants

“Never did Athena wash her mighty arms before she drave the dust from the flanks of her horses – not even when, her armour all defiled with filth, she returned from the battle of the lawless Giants; but far first she loosed from the care her horses’ necks, and in the springs of Oceanus washed the flecks of sweat and from their mouths that champed the bit cleansed the clotted foam. “ 5-12

It seems to me that off-handed references to the Gigantomachy are rare.  Argeiphontes Hermes (Hom. Il. ii 103) and Pallas Athena (Apollodorus i. 6. § 2) get epithets for slaying “giants”, but I don’t recall any such accolades to giant-slayers during the little mentioned war, even Heracles, responsible for the gigantic deaths, got no honors.  Hmm.  

Lustral Water

“Today, ye water-carriers, dip not your pitchers – today, O Argos, drink ye from the fountains and not from the river” 45-46

Is the above prohibition on river water in ritual always true?  Or is this a general prohibition? Like the Alaskan proverb for not eating clams in months that have an “r” in them.

The Laws of Cronus

The children of Cronus are often referred to as Cronides or sometimes Cronion (Κρονίδης, Κρονίων). The patronym is used Either collectively as “children of-“ or individually as “son of -“ Cronus.  The reference is most frequently made of Zeus. So in the text here Callimachus is retelling the blinding of Teiresias when he catches sight of Athena (and his mother!) skinny dipping.  Athena states that it is divine law that requires this punishment for looking upon her nakedness.  (Acteon was torn apart and eaten by his own dogs for the same crime!). Pallas Athena says;

“Κρόνιοι δ᾽ ὧδε λέγοντι νόμοι: ὅς κε τιν᾽ ἀθανάτων, ὅκα μὴ θεὸς αὐτὸς ἕληται, ἀθρήσῃ, μισθῶ τοῦτον ἰδεῖν μεγάλω. 100-102

But, who is “Κρόνιοι”? Is this the genitive (possessive form) of Cronus? And these are his laws? Or is Cronioi the genitive of the son of Cronus? Hence Zeus’ Law.  Various translators translate it differently and the dictionaries at Perseus don’t seem to support the latter.   If this law (and others discussed at the end of Hippolytus, like avoiding Death and not crying over mortals) were Cronus’ and not Zeus’ that might explain why they are immutable. 

Heiress of Zeus

“So she spake and bowed her head; and that word is fulfilled over which Pallas bows; since to Athena only among his daughters hath Zeus granted that she should win all things that belong to her sire, “ 131-133

Athena brags in a Euripides’ Eumenides “I alone of the gods know the keys to the house where his thunderbolt is sealed.”  and I recall a story of her using one, but can’t find. 

 

TFBT: Random Notes on J. Banks Theogony, Part I

I visited a used bookstore while traveling on business lately.  I had the pleasure of discovering “The Works of Hesiod, Callimachus, and Theognis” London 1879, by the Reverend J. Banks, M.A.  Head Master of Ludlow School.   “Literally translated into English prose with copious notes.”    I love books like this with a slightly different perspective and “copious notes”. 

J. Banks on the Muses addressing Hesiod at night.  “These visits were by night, because the ancients deemed that the gods, who had visited earlier and purer mortals night and day, denied their presence in the daylight to the more depraved ages of the world.”

Banks[i] names the primordial ash-nymphs born when Uranus’ blood impregnated Mother Earth; the Meliae.  “they were nine in number, Helice, Cynosura, Arethusa, Ida, Cromne, Britho, Calaeno, Adrastea, Glauce”  These are the mothers of the Bronze Generation in Hesiodic mythology

“Crius, a god of supreme power in the earliest time of Greece. “  Banks is pointing out that Crius is mentioned by Hesiod among the important gods in the beginning of the Theogony.

Banks translation says, “And her Eros accompanied and fair Desire followed, when first she was born and came into the host of the gods.  And from the beginning this honor hath she and this part hath she obtained by lot among men and immortal gods; the whisperings of maidens and smiles and deceits with sweet delight and love and graciousness.” All the usual attributes and powers we associate with the mighty Aphrodite. But Banks translations suggests that rather than being allotted this attributes by Zeus and the Olympians she got them by the throwing of lots.  As in "The three gods [Zeus, Poseidon and Haides] overpowered the Titanes, confined them in Tartaros . . . The gods then drew lots for a share of the rule.”[ii]

“Leto, or Latona seems to be the same as Night.”  At this might seem a little odd, but I believe Nagy suggests a certain darkness to her.  It is not uncommon for the younger gods and goddesses to have parallel honors to the previous generation.  Hence Hyperion and Helios are father and son gods of the sun.  Cronus and Zeus father and son kings of the gods.  The unpersonified Hemera and Eos both goddesses of the day.  Atsma[iii] and Cox[iv] come to similar conclusions.  

“Sole-begotten; (Hecate) does not receive less but more honor, because she hg\as no brothers to protect her …Pallas (Athena), Proserpine (Persephone) and Mercury (Hermes) are all in Hesiod called sole-begotten”

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[i] (Apparently following Tzetz. Ad Op. et D.144.)

[ii] Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 1. 7

[iii] www.theoi.com

[iv] The Mythology of the Aryan Nations. by Cox, George William, 1827-1902.  (I should explain that “Aryan” was orginal name for the Indo-European peoples until the name was tainted by Nazism and banished as politically incorrect.  Another older name for the IE’s is the “Japhetic Races” after one of Noah’s sons.